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The Rogue Alliance
WIP- Everything here is unfinished and subject to change. History Wise Emperor Peregrine’s oldest son, Morgan, fell to the temptations of the world outside of the Talori brought in by the ambassadors his father let in, especially those from Eithne. He wanted the Talori to become more worldly and would have had a drastically radical rule if he was ever permitted to take the thrown. He was hedonistic and selfish, though a capable fighter and leader. Trained as a guardian and was popular among his fellow soldiers but despised by his supervisors. Grew up thinking he would for sure be chosen as the next Talorian ruler and felt terribly slighted when the title is given to his younger brother, Oran. With the support of his friends, he leads a revolt and kills his weaker brother. The rebellion is quickly put to an end by the Defender of the time. In lieu of Oran's death, a young brewer named Quintrell rises to the throne. Oldest son escapes punishment with some of his best fighters and supporters. They flee to the isles where they decide to make their own nation and crown him "King". -insert stuff about Kyden's retaliation, taking back of the isles etc.... -Emperor Ronan's deal to allow prisoners to be sold as slaves in Eithne -insert stuff about Caledon's reign and instituting the practice of Rogues as Aquore's traders Over the years, that feud has been all but forgotten, as many of the rogues who live on the Isles have their own agenda and reasons for being there. Since its foundation as the rogue hub of Aquore, the Isles have grown exponentially, becoming a . Most of the shady business that goes on in Aquore takes place on the Isles. Ne’er do wells and criminals of all kinds own the streets, as the laws of the Talori are often flat out ignored. While some equines venture here due to opposing opinions while still following the Talori rule, most have always lived on the Isles. Cultural Notes The Banner Two crossed white cutlass swords on a deep royal blue field dipped in real Talorian Gold. Two rows of waves on the bottom represent the sea and a drop of red at the top to symbolize the alliance initiated as a blood oath to the pirate king. The banner is hung wherever Rogues gather. The Rogue Code While rogues are still subject common Talorian law, the distance from the main herd has made enforcing these laws difficult. As such, the laws of the mainland are only truly enforced when rogues visit the mainland. Consequently, the rogues have developed their own code to keep some order among the chaos. * Honour the Alliance; Do not report Rogue activity to Talorian authority and obey the code * Neutrality of the Isles and Aquore; No Rogue shall pillage the Isles or the Aquorian mainland. Any who do are struck from the alliance and handed over the the Talorian govt * Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers; Whoever finds something, regardless of circumstances, is entitled to keep it * Workers of the Waves, Must Earn a Wage; A captain who fails to pay their crew is rightfully subjected to mutiny and will lose their ship * Do Your Duty or Get No Booty; Crew members who don’t pull their weight are not entitled to payment * Loss of a Leg is Worth 10 Gold and a Keg; Those who go above and beyond and lose a joint or limb during times of engagement, shall receive a bonus * Steal from the Ship, Steal from the Crew; If any shall steal anything of value from the Company, they shall be marooned at location of the captain’s choosing * Right of Parley; Those who invoke the right are subject to negotiate terms with the captain and shall not be harmed until said negotiations are complete * Don’t Let Floaters, Sink; Any found body thought to be still alive, is to be pulled aboard, and then dealt with as the captain sees fit * Captain’s Orders; Any Captain is permitted to create their own set of articles as long as no law previous is contradicted Ships and Crews Though rogues are united by the alliance, Crews hold to their own rules and ideology, as well as agreements with the mainland for trade/ selling off prisoners, etc. Below is a list of current ships, their captains, and ideology. * Captain Rhodesna of the ''Stormchaser'' acts as the unofficial enforcer of the Code, aiding guardians and maintaining order on the Isles. Those who break the code or make trouble with the Mainland are tracked down and handed over to Talori authorities. Because of this, she and her crew have a solid relationship with the mainland, and often sell imports obtained by other rogues to the mainlanders, for a slightly increased fee of course. Rhodesna welcomes any rogue who follows the code and is willing to keep others in line. * Captain Kraken of the ''Sacrifice '' is as ruthless as they come. He has dealt in the Aquorian slave trade for years and is one of the most respected captains in the trade currently. While legal in Aodh, and approved by Aquore, many of the other ports he does business with frown on the trade. As such, he hides behind the guise of a wealthy wine trader, using that as supplementary income for his crew, as he has the necessary documents and agreements to make his wine trading legitimate as well. His crew is made up of horses from all walks of life, save one, as the Kraken will not allow hippocampi on board his ship for almost any reason. He holds no alliance with other rogues, and has a known hatred for the hippocampus Captain of the Huntress, Ceto. * Captain Ceto of the ''Huntress'' is a demanding rogue. Her crew is made up of mostly hippocampi, and those who are of another species are an odd exception to her rule. She demands absolute loyalty from her crew and will accept nothing less. Not fostering any kind of positive relationship with the Talori government, the crew of the huntress is unable to partake in any of the herd's trade agreements. Instead, they make a living off raids against other ships, stealing government wealth when able, and deals made secretly through the black market and other rogues. * Captain Samael of the'' Bloody Siren'' and his crew of misfits make their money almost solely in the slave trade. Having an agreement with the Talori Emperor, Sam is one of the rogues charged with deporting Talori prisoners to Eithne. None to shy, they also have a tendency to raid smaller ships and take some of the crew prisoner for sale in Eithne as well, a practice not all rogues are comfortable with, but quickly lines the pockets of all involved. Sam and his crew are not welcome on the mainland, and make deals with other rogues when they have wares and goods for sale. All are welcome to join Sam's crew, as long as they are comfortable with his questionable moral choices and don't undermine or question his authority. He's a decent captain, pays well, and is happy to let his crew do whatever they want as long as it doesn't effect their work, break the code, or harm other members of his crew. *'Captain Balthier of the ''Rancor' (Info coming soon!) Unaligned Rogues Some rogues are not part of any crew, and spend their days on the Isles rather than at sea. These rogues function much like they would on the mainland, adhering more to the code rather than the Talori laws. Imperative to survival on the isles, many of these rogues run all sorts of shops, taverns, and inns, and maintain the heavy flow of non-Aquorian visitors. Religion Rogues aren't known to be the most religious among the Talori, and are often thought of as godless heathens. That said, many rogues actually pray quite often, as superstitions abound on the high seas. While Cascade is still the most popular god by far, Rogues have traveled enough to be more accepting of the others compared to their mainland brothers and sisters. Alya is also a popular deity to worship, more often out of fear and reverence than adoration, as it is she who puts wind in the sails of ships, and she who causes great turmoil amid most storms. She and Cascade are often viewed as combative sisters, and if one wishes to cross the seas safely, both must be appeased. Ignacio is still viewed with some suspicion on the Isles, but due to the rogues relationship with the Aodh, he's viewed more as a fun loving trickster than an outright antagonist. Meanwhile, Kaia and Argus maintain much of their reputation from the mainland, as most rogues have little interaction with the War Forged and the Breim. How Rogues honor the gods varies greatly and it's not uncommon for Pirate Crews to have their own superstitions and rituals. That said, there are a few that are well known and practiced throughout the faction. * '''Small Sacrifices-' Throwing something of value into the ocean before a voyage is said to help gain Cascade's favor and buy you safe passage over her waters. Gold is traditional. * Solstices-''' It is considered insanely unlucky to sail during the summer and winter solstice. The Talori Sacrificial Celebration is often thought to insight conflict between the Water and Air sisters. It is believed that they fight over the pegasus's soul, making the open ocean a dangerous place to be. * 'Tattoos-' Since Rogues are often away from any established place of worship, Tattoos depicting religious iconography is a common way to keep the gods close. * 'Carvings-' Carving is a favorite method of meditation among Rogues and the finished works are often used as prayer idols and sacrificial items. * 'Song-' Sea shanties are more than just a moral booster but a way to remember history and honor the gods communally. * 'Windcatchers-' A sacred object made of strings of natural materials such as pearls, shells, and sea glass. Windcatchers are said to keep those around it safe and are commonly hung in homes, shops and on Rogue Ships. The popular idea is that the chiming of the materials in the wind will pacify both the sisters with it's melody. Another version among those who are still wary of Alya is that Cascade, through the object made of items associated with the ocean, is able to 'catch' Ayla's wind and purify it, making it more pleasant. Notable Figures * '''Pirate King Morgan (Deceased NPC) - Morgan was the disgraced son of Emperor Peregrine. After his failed attempt to steal the thrown from his younger brother, Morgan fled to Isles, a place long since abandoned since the devastating plague that ripped through the nation several hundred years prior. Morgan claimed the land for himself and his followers. He welcomed all who opposed the established order to join him in his mission to create a place where one was free to do as they chose. Together, with his followers, they founded the Rogue Alliance and crowned him King of the Seas. A little more than two centuries have gone by since Morgan's death and time has altered much of what is known about him. Over the years, his title 'King of the Seas' fell out of use and was replaced with 'Pirate King' as the Rogues became more known for their violent pillaging. No King existed after Morgan. Whether this was done purposely to honor him or a result of the chaos left in his wake is up to debate. Pirate King Morgan is very much a mythical figure in the hearts of Rogues and any who love the lore of the sea. * Keeper Atlas (Group NPC) -''' Atlas is a mysterious background figure in Rogue politics. As the current '''Keeper of the Code, Atlas is in charge of the preservation of the one physical copy the Rogue Code and what is stands for. The Keeper maintains order among fellow Rogues, as well as maintaining the relationship between the mainland and the isles. All Captains must go through the Keeper to get the required documentation for trade and docking permissions. Keepers of the Code often act as a middleman between the Rogue Alliance and the Talorian Government giving them great power over the Rogue way of life. *Note: The Keeper of the Code is a NPC exclusive rank and there is ever only one Keeper at any given time. Herd Relations As the main source of trade for the Talori, Rogues are an important part of the current economy of Aquore. To maintain a sense of neutrality between the mainland and the lawless rogues, some practices have been put into place. * Trading with the mainland requires multiple papers and licenses that allow the rogue crew in question to dock and visit the mainland, as well as sell their wares. Rogues must go through the Keeper of the Code to obtain the required paperwork, and must present it, along with a full crew roster when docking. Laws of the mainland must be followed by all crew members during the duration of their visit. Failure to do so will result in the crew loosing their license to trade and will be unwelcome on the mainland in the future. * Those who deal in the deportation and sale of prisoners also have paper work to fill out, and must obtain the Emperor's seal to present to the guardians in charge of the prison. Once their legitimacy has been verified, the guardians will help load prisoners set for deportation onto the ship. While many of the guardians are friendly with the rogues, and tolerate their behavior, they will not accept bribes as they are held to the highest standard of honesty by their superiors. Those who attempt to bribe these guardians, or cause any sort of disruption, will immediately be expelled from the prison and will lose the privilege to transport prisoners to Eithne. * Rogues who disregard these rules are subject to Talori law, and are often deported if caught. The Keeper of the Code washes his hooves of the offenders in these situations in order to maintain the agreement. Aodh Though only active for the last 100 years or so, the agreements that allow not only the transfer of Talori prisoners to Valorian shores, but free trade between the two nations as well, has created an interesting dynamic between the Talori rogues and the citizens of Eithne. Rogues have become quite a welcome sight in Valore, and they even have "their own" district in the massive city which has become a popular hang out for many rogue crews. Rogues who deal in the sale of Talori criminals often have favorite slave traders they deal with, choosing to give these slave traders first pick before selling the prisoners off to whoever will take them. Other rogues who choose to deal in the more palatable trade of goods often cut deals with commoners and artisans alike who want to get their names and wares out to the rest of the world. Serora The Serorans and the rogues have a rather strained relationship due to the dual nature of the later. The vast majority of rogues who visit Sedo deal in legitimate imports and exports, and are often welcomed, as they bring food and goods the Serorans have come to depend on. That said, there is a small number of rogues who sail around Sedo's coast, seeking vulnerable ships to attack. More often than not, these rogues will keep the ship and sell off the crew in Eithne, if they don't manage to coerce them into staying on as crew that is. Bloody Flanks Well not all rogues have dealings with the Flanks, the War-Forged clan has been known to trade with a few crews quite amicably, though they don't seem to get along well with rogues who participate in the slave trade. Members of the clan are rumored to have visited the Isles on more than one occasion as well, but this is mostly speculation. Vagabonds Relations with vagabonds in general varies wildly from crew to crew, As some rogues will delve into trade and smuggling agreements with the nomads while others will kidnap them and sell them in Aodh when available. Some rogue crews have found unlikely trade partners among the Freedom's Flight, the only vagabond faction the alliance actually deals with. While they often keep each other at arms length, many rogue crews are happy to trade with the rebels, as they tend to pay well. Ranks Rogues have all manner of ranks and positions and those that reside on the Isles perform many of the same duties as their counterparts on the mainland. Below is a list of ranks one can expect to see among the rogues, as well as minor job variants for those who are ship bound. Rogues can not live on the mainland. * Rogue Captain - Owners of ships, and leaders of crews, Captains answer to the Keeper of the Code. They are a rogue only rank * Pirate - Making up the majority of any crew, pirates act as general deckhands and fighters on board their ships. Pirates are a rogue only rank. * Clerics - Not very common to have and considered a luxury, Clerics act as ship doctors as well as spiritual guides and advisors. * Craftsmen - Usually Carpenters and Shipwrights to repair the ship, though some may also take care of weapon maintenance as well. Others act as the ship's cook, providing simple meals for the crew. * Philosophers - Usually in charge of the ship’s navigation and recording achievements, many also vastly knowledgeable in the lore of the sea. Some may act as weather predictors as well. * Brewers - The ship’s potions specialists, often making potions and poisons. May also fill in for a cleric as the ships doctors in cases where a cleric is unavailable and create ointments and medicines for crew members in need. * Agriculturalists - Perform some of the same jobs as those on the mainland, acting as food gatherers in Hireath's vast seas, and scavengers of unlikely treasures. Some even grow small window gardens aboard their ships. * Entertainers - Acting as musicians, dancers, and even paid companions, Entertainers keep morale on board a ship high. * Indentured Servants - Like any indentured servant, they will work until their contract is fulfilled, After their contract is up, they are either free to go or join the crew. * Tenderfeet - Often act as cabin boys and powder monkies, performing menial work and chores. Whether apprentices or the children of someone on board, they aren't as rare a sight as some might think. Category:Talori